A common type of optical fiber connector includes passages that receive optical fiber termini. A retainer clip has tines that abut a shoulder on the terminus body to retain it. The terminus can be removed by sliding a tubular extraction tool into the passage to expand the tines of the clip. The terminus and tube then are rearwardly moved together out of the passage by applying a rearward force to the terminus body. Such rearward force can be applied by pulling on the optical fiber that extends rearward from the terminus, or pushing rearwardly against the tip of the terminus. The optical fibers are very delicate, and a rearward pull on them can damage them. Although the front end of the terminus is usually exposed during terminus extractions so it can be pushed rearwardly, a hand or other instrument that pushes against the front end of the terminus body may scratch the tip of the optical fiber that is usually flush with the front end of the terminus. An extraction tool that released a terminus body from a retention clip and that applied force to the terminus body to remove it, without requiring that tension force be applied to the optical fiber or that the tip of a terminus be pressed rearwardly, would of value.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an optical fiber extraction tool is provided which enables extraction of an optical fiber terminus by releasing the terminus body from a retention clip and applying a rearward force to the terminus body, which extracts the terminus without requiring tension forces to be applied to the optical fiber or pushing forces to be applied to the front tip of the terminus. The extraction tool includes inner and outer tubes, with the inner tube having a front portion forming a plurality of fingers with free front ends. The inner tube can be inserted until the fingers of the inner tube lie around a portion of the terminus body that lies behind the rearwardly-facing shoulder of the body that engages tines of the retention clip. Then, the outer tube is moved forwardly to a front position relative to the inner tube, wherein the front end of the outer tube substantially abuts the body shoulder and expands the tines so their tips lie out of line with the body shoulder. In the front position of the outer tube, the outer tube closely surrounds the fingers of the inner tube to prevent them from expanding. As a result, the front ends of the inner tube fingers grip the body so when the outer and inner tubes are moved as a unit rearwardly out of the passage, the front ends of the inner tube fingers pull the terminus body out of the passage. Such removal of the terminus is accomplished by rearward forces applied only to the terminus body at a location rearward of the body shoulder, by the fingers of the inner tube.
The free front ends of the inner tube are preferably bent to extend at forward and radially inward inclines. It is common to form the terminus body with a neck lying immediately rearward of the body shoulder. The inwardly-incline finger front ends lie in the neck and grasp the neck to pull it out. The outer tube prevents the fingers from deflecting radially outwardly, so they continue to grip the rear of the neck of the terminus body to pull it out.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.